jphamlore: If the next Candidates cycle is similar to this one, the players are right in the middle of the time period, approximately from May 2015 through April 2016, for ratings qualification to the next Grand Prix cycle. This time all four of Svidler, Karjakin, Giri, and Eljanov from World Cup may accept, leaving I believe 7 invites by rating. (4 potentially from World Cup, 4 sponsor invites, 1 FIDE President's nominee). Then one has the World Champion and challenger who won't play, and likely Topalov and Kramnik declining the invite as well.

This is going to be quite an exciting horse race with I think a goal of finishing in the top 14 in ratings over that time period. It's not the money that matters, it's the seasoning playing many of the very best players in an endless grind over 33 games.

So for example MVL won a couple of games but then really struggled in the Grand Prix. And he struggled other events. But I think he's finally on the verge of being at his absolute prime. The problem is the competition is so fierce it is incredibly difficult even for a player of his talent in his prime just to stay in the top 9 or 10 in ratings.

The Chinese players have barely even started on this process. It appears Ding Liren will get his shot in the Grand Prix and perhaps even the Grand Chess Tour, assuming he can sort out whatever visa problems kept him from playing for Siberia last May at Sochi. Li Chao may make the Grand Prix by rating as well. He could really use it.

I am hoping the FIDE President's nominee this cycle for Grand Prix is Wei Yi. Sadly I can also see scenarios where it all falls apart and none of the Chinese players make any of the top events next cycle. Something seems broken in how players get invites.

jphamlore: The point of the fecklessness of Ivanchuk's opening against Kramnik is that having obtained nothing from the opening, Ivanchuk then proceeded from moves 20 through 30 to run his clock down to 3 minutes left versus Kramnik's 14, upon which he naturally played sub-optimally to make the time control, leaving Kramnik in a position where Kramnik could grind in a rook ending with ease.

It's not like recent results are very promising for White against top competition in this opening:

AzingaBonzer: <jphamlore> The "Chinese players lack experience" argument seems to me an extremely weak one. Wang Yue was once top 10, as was Wang Hao, and Ding Liren is currently top 10. Wei Yi and Yu Yangyi have gotten quite a bit of exposure as well, and Ni Hua and Bu Xiangzhi are well-known veterans. Hou Yifan--well, it's hard to argue that the Women's World Champion doesn't get enough exposure to top players--what about Biel, for example? Or Dortmund?

Of all the Chinese players, Li Chao is the only one who doesn't play top-flight opposition very often. He's very much an open tournament specialist (for lack of invitations, possibly?).

latvalatvian: It doesn't surprise me that Siberia won. They don't have chess computers there and have to use their brains. Most players now just sit in a room full of chess computers smashing out billions of positions.

Conrad93: <It doesn't surprise me that Siberia won. They don't have chess computers there and have to use their brains. Most players now just sit in a room full of chess computers smashing out billions of positions.>

Everett: atvalatvian: <It doesn't surprise me that Siberia won. They don't have chess computers there and have to use their brains. Most players now just sit in a room full of chess computers smashing out billions of positions.>

Their computers are made of ice and snow, running on seal fat and the blood of former gulag prisoners.

perfidious: <Everett: < jphamlore: The point of the fecklessness of Ivanchuk's opening against Kramnik is that having obtained nothing from the opening>

20 years ago you would have likely called the Berlin Ruy "feckless." Why read your posts?>

Never mind that, as noted by <MOLLOYCHESS>, White was not worse in that middlegame.

As noted, why read <hamhock>'s repetitive dross preaching the gospel that games between top GMs are decided in the opening, when there is a rather large body of evidence which points to the axiomatic conclusion that there is still scope for play <after> the opening phase?

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